Let's use music to reinvent education

I can hear a song from 30 yrs. ago and find myself singing along, remembering all the lyrics. I cannot however, remember what I learned in physics or math classes back in the day.
As the parent of a child who does not fit the classical teaching model (not a linear learner), the struggles have been heartbreaking for me to watch, since elementary school. Now in High School, I am worried about her lack of ability in math, but more than that, the stress each test causes her is, I feel unnecessary, if I could find a method which would help her. A brilliant artist, I see her creativity and self-esteem fading fast. So I worry she won't be able to pursue her desired career due to a 'hate' (yes, hate) of school.

Dec 15 2013:
I taught for twenty years, and music can be a strong connector for many learners. How many of us remember the ABC Song when we are putting things in alphabetical order? However, if we tied EVERYthing to music, it would probably be far less effective than using it to connect young people's minds to key concepts and facts. There have to be enough other things going on that that the musical learning moments are still something exceptional, and they will always be more of a connector for some students than they will be for others.

Similarly, many of us are visual learners, kinesthetic learners, tactile learners. The worst thing we can do to our young people is expect them to learn in sensorially deprived settings. They (we) need field trips, hands-on lessons, shake-ups in the routine, as well as consistency and personal accountability.

Dec 14 2013:
In my opinion, you don't see the things from the good point of view.
I don't think you remember the lyrics of a song because it's music, but rather because this song sounds good for you : indeed, you don't remember every song your heard. And I think it's the same for education : if you like a discipline a lot, you will easily understand and remember its content. On the contrary, if you don't appreciate a discipline like math for example, you will enter in a vicious circle and have some difficulties..

Dec 14 2013:
I think music can help a lot in education, especially in the exercise of memorization and how to help our brain to store information. And also, would be a funniet subject to study than math and thus, more easily for people to remind of the studies.

Dec 11 2013:
Let her drop out if she so desires. With more freedom she will develop her art on her own, if she really loves it. If she's considering studying at a university in the future, let her be homeschooled (there are forms of homeschooling, such as online schools, that don't require a stay-at-home parent and aren't very expensive).

Dec 11 2013:
In the end, it's always good to self-educate.
Self-education cannot be taught.
It can only be modeled for others.
Some get the hang of it.
Others spend their entire life subject to an external authority.

Life is NOW, not at the arrival of some unknown career.
Model for your child.
They rarely listen to words of advice or consolation.
They always watch what you DO :-)

Dec 15 2013:
I agree with you Scott, I am an autodidact also. I barely graduated from high school with a c average because I didn't like public school for multipal reasons. My daughter followed the same path and almost did not graduate from HS. However like me once she found what she really loved she is now back in college and getting straight A's just like her dad who is also on there Dean's list at the same college. Her dad however was teaching college Professor's before he ever went to college. Figure that one out.

Dec 11 2013:
Just a guess here, but she probably is not incapable in math. She may have gotten a poor foundation and developed a dislike for or fear of it, but that is not the same as not being capable.

Is any sort of tutoring an option for you?

If you are in the United States, there may be a useful approach for you in the community college system. Community colleges tend to offer programs that catch people up on the math they missed earlier but in a way that moves faster than the many years of pre-high school math.

If she too is interested in catching up in math, she may be able to take care of this in summer when she is not otherwise in school.

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